About this project

$4,545

pledged of $4,000 goal

101

backers

As you may have seen in the video above, Girls Of The Con was founded by myself, Jason L. Bohannon and my friend and now business partner Traci Tant. Our focus in creating this project was simple. To bring attention to the creativity, the talent, and the jaw dropping beauty of the ladies that inhabit the world of the sci-fi / fantasy / horror convention culture.

Even though it has grown in popularity immensely over the past 10 years, there are still those who haven't a clue as to what culture I may be referring. The "Geek" culture, the "CON" culture, short for Convention of course. With the airing of "Four Days at Dragon*Con" the curtain was pulled back to reveal the world of fan driven conventions where a person can dress as their favorite character, interact with television and big screen stars, and party with friends from all over the world who've converged merely to share a common interest.

These "Cons" as the fans call them range from small one day gatherings to large multi-hotel, multi-day events. Like Dragon*Con, MegaCon, Spooky Empire, World Steam Expo, and ConNooga to name only a few. Some fans spend all year designing and perfecting costume representations of their favorite comic, movie, anime, game, or book character and more. Some make a profession of it even, designing and building costumes for others, sometimes even drawing the attention of major television and media coverage.

For the past two years we've brought the Girls Of The Con calendar to life. With limited resources, limited time, and limited funds we put together 12 months of Talented costumers and cosplayers showing off their creations. Every skill level is represented. From amateur to expert each a testament to the creativity these ladies bring to the convention culture. The real "Girls Of The Con". The 2011 calendar and the 2012 calendar both stand as solid examples of that diversity.

Working with a point and shoot Olympus, a 10 year old Alienware desktop computer, and 15+ years experience in graphics platforms we set out to create something that combined both photographic and design elements. Something with a fantasy feel, where the ladies become a part of the fantasy they invoke when wearing their costumes.

This year we want to take the 2013 calendar to new heights. We want to give the fans a serious photographic art book that you hang on the wall and it just happens to have a calendar in it. We want to bring that level of imagery to each and every month because our fans deserve nothing less. We want to create a calendar that people will keep, long after the year has ended. Any artist out there knows that feeling when you know what you are capable of creating, but you just don't have the budget to bring the project to life in a way you know you are capable of.

WeI have a vision for the 2013 calendar, a vision that involves new lighting setups, more elaborate sets and props, less digital editing and more real world production vs. post effects. We wan't to bring the sense of Superheroes, Monsters, Fairies, Villains and the like as they would exist in our world. To put the unreal among reality and see beauty in the magical world these ladies have created for us come to life on the pages of our calendar.

We realize there are a ton of "Geek" girl calendars out there, many of them cheesecake style photo spreads showing more skin less costume, but that is not what we are about. We've always tried to take a more PG-13 approach to our layouts. Our calendar is for the fans by the fans. Our ladies are the real deal, no posers allowed. They make their own costumes, do their own makeup, and ask for nothing in return but smiles and excitement when people meet their favorite character in the flesh. From the beginning our slogan has been "Flesh Meets Fantasy" because that's ultimately our goal with every click of the shutter, to bring fantasy to life.

Top To Bottom and Left To Right allow us to introduce the lovely ladies who've volunteered their time and talents to be a part of the Girls Of The Con 2013 Calendar. Not all have fan pages or websites, but those that do will be linked below as well.

This is our current lineup for the 2013 Girls Of The Con calendar. These ladies volunteered their time graciously in order to be a part of our project. We are fortunate in the friends we've made and continue to make in this community. They've become like family to us, kept us going. They are the reason we are here, pleading our case in order to keep going. So let's get to the question you are probably asking.

Obviously we are here to raise money for this project. We've asked for $4000 as a minimum. That money, should our funding be successful, will go to a few specific areas. Should we go over our goal I'll add new rewards and detail new plans on a live convention coverage website in the works specifically for Girls Of The Con.

This project lives and breathes in the digital realm. From the scouting and recruiting of models, to the capturing of the images, post processing and effects, all in the digital realm. That being said we are in desperate need of updating camera and computer equipment. $1500-2000 spent on these items is part of our budget. Again this is a minimum, the more we have available the higher production quality we can achieve. We feel we've achieved alot already, but there is always room to grow.

For the past two years we've self published. We learned that the best way is to start with small orders and progress as needed. This year we will continue that process and self publish again. The costs typically are in the $600-1100 range per run depending on the quantity. So we've budgeted a minimum of $800 for the printing costs. Our calendar is printed on 11"x 8½" 80lb gloss paper with a seamless wireless bind, it's high quality and very durable and looks great on any wall.

With the remaining cash we have in our budget we would use those funds for travel and shoot expenses involved in photographing all the models. In past years we've covered these expenses ourself and we will continue to cover the majority of these costs as best we can on limited means. The extra cash would just pave the way to speed the process along and make sure we get all principal photography complete in time for the final editing process which usually requires around 2 weeks to get every detail perfect before final proof and print.

WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONSIDERING OUR PROJECT FOR FUNDING.

Please keep in mind we've asked for the minimum we feel we need to help take this project of ours to the next level. Traci and I both have put a small fortune in time, work, and money to make Girls Of The Con the entity it is currently. With time and a greater budget I feel we could not only become a permanent and expected feature at the larger conventions, but a wonderful multimedia outlet for all things "CON" culture. Helping to showcase these events, the wonderful menagerie of souls who inhabit them, and the happiness they bring to the lives of those in the know.

We are just so grateful to all our friends, family, collaborators, models, merchants, organizations, and con goers who've supported our efforts these past 5 years since the idea was merely an inkling. We look forward to many more and hope you'll share in our growth. Thank you so much for your time.

Jason L. Bohannon and Traci Tant,Co-Founders.Girls Of The Con

FAQ

Typically we submit an open call to anyone that wants to be a part of the calendar, usually around the beginning of October of each year on our facebook and our website, we'll take photo submissions through January 1st, and then in February we choose who will be in the calendar based on several criteria. We try not to use cosplays or costumes we've featured previously and so far have been successful in not repeating the same costume twice. Not to say we wouldn't use the same model twice (because we have) but never the same outfit. Location, What conventions the girls will be attending, and their willingness to travel usually are major deciding factors simply due to the fact that logistically, producing the calendar from our own pocket for the past two years we've had to be extremely budget conscious .
That being said we are willing to travel as far as a 3 day weekend will allow by car. Our hope for the kickstarter is that we'll be able to extend our range to include ladies who can't always attend events we attend or be within 1000 miles of our location. We've had to turn down several huge names in the costuming world due to travel and cash constraints, something which we hope to be able to change once this kickstarter has ended.

Support this project

Select this reward

Pledge $1 or more
About $1.00

We want everyone that supports us to get something for their money! That being said as a thank you to our $1.00 pledges we will give you a personal thank you on our facebook page and your name will go on a permanent thank you page on our website as well once the project is funded.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $5 or more
About $5

One Trading Card of our choice from our upcoming trading card series for girls of the con. 3.5x2.5 Glossy, Full Color, Double Sided trading cards featuring the ladies (and 3 guys) from all three of our calendars, the 2011, the 2012, and this calendar, the 2013. These cards will not be for sale anywhere after being offered here as reward. These cards will be placed in random places, at random conventions, with tweets and facebook updates guiding collectors with hints. So get your card now, before they are gone. This reward includes your name on our thank you page as well.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $35 or more
About $35

BEHIND THE SCENES DVD PACKAGE:

Backers of this package will receive the 2013 GIRLS OF THE CON CALENDAR PRODUCTION DVD documenting all 12 months of photoshoots. Model interviews, Props, costumes, vehicles, and location details will be revealed beyond anything we've ever shared before. A true behind the scenes DVD showing how we bring it all together from post production to final editing. You don't want to miss out on this reward. This reward will come around December as it will also include our calendar release party festivities at Dragon Con 2012. Which will be filmed in September. We'll make it worth the wait, we promise!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $60 or more
About $60

For our $60 backers we offer you the chance to create your own holiday in our 2013 calendar. That's right, it can be national WTF day... Captain Kirk Tuesday, Bacon Sandwich Day.. Zombie Awareness Wednesday... who knows, what would your holiday be? This reward also includes everything offered above except reward #4.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $80 or more
About $80

This reward includes your name on the thank you page, your own birthday or holiday in the calendar (pick one only), a copy of the calendar signed by the co-creators, and as a bonus a 16x20 Poster print of your favorite calendar month.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $110 or more
About $110

COLLECTORS REWARD: This set includes all three calendars, as well as a full set of collectors trading cards featuring all our present and past calendar girls. These complete card sets will be available as a reward only incentive. Therefore only those purchasing this specific package will get a full set of cards.

A copy of the 2011 Calendar, A copy of the 2012 Calendar, and A copy of the 2013 calendar packaged with a collectors set of Trading cards featuring all the girls who've ever been in our calendars! Your name on our thank you page, and our eternal gratitude.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $120 or more
About $120

This reward includes your name on the thank you page, your own birthday or holiday in the calendar (pick one only), a copy of the calendar signed by the co-creators, and as a bonus a 16x20 Poster print of your favorite calendar month as well as a handwritten thank you letter from your favorite calendar girl, sealed with a lipstick kiss and personalized just for you.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $250 or more
About $250

ADVERTISER PACKAGE

This package is geared more towards those looking to promote a business or event within the pages of our calendar. This package includes a back cover ad spot for your event or business, a prominent link and writeup for your event or business on our facebook page (3900+ fans and growing) and on our web blog as well as your event dates for 2013 listed in our calendar.

(We promote and distribute the calendar, the website, and the group itself through placed ads, flyers, business cards, event tables, fan tables, auction giveaways and more at several major conventions in the united states each year including but not limited to Comic Con, Mega Con, Dragon Con, Spooky Empire, Mayhem, Heroes Con, Sci-Fi Summer Con, Anime Weekend Atlanta, Days Of The Dead, Anime Day Atlanta, Cardboard Con, ConNooga, Steampunk Worlds Fair, Chattacon, New York Comic Con, Wizard Chicago, and more! - YOU WILL GET EXPOSURE!)

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Pledge $275 or more
About $275

CUSTOM CANVAS REWARD: 16x32 Custom stretched canvas print. Our photographer Jason will composite a custom image of all our 2013 calendar girls which will then be hand drawn and inked by a comic book artist, printed to high quality 100 year archival canvas, stretched, wrapped, and sent to you as a cherished one of five to be made ever canvases perfect for any collectors wall.

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Pledge $750 or more
About $750

THE FAIRY WAND:

Metal Sculptor R.A. Moore is currently designing a unique gauntlet for this years calendar. The concept is a fairy wand that is worn like a glove, with tiny glass vials to channel the magic through the hand and outward through branch like tendrils that emulate the forces of nature. We are keeping it very under wraps but we've decided to offer it as a reward.

R.A. Moore's sculptures typically sell for over $1000.00+ so we were floored when he offered to donate this sculpture for our calendar. One lucky person will take home this one of a kind work of art from the Man himself, Metal Sculptor R.A. Moore.

The piece will come with a display stand, much like that you would display a sword upon, as any good weapon should be presented, especially one of such power as to control the furies of nature ;)

The lucky backer will also receive a signed copy of the calendar, signed by the model whose month features the glove, as well as by Traci and Myself, and of course R.A. Moore.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $2,500 or more
About $2,500

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE:

For those looking to take full advantage of all the marketing GOTC does throughout the year we offer the corporate sponsorship package. Your company name and logo will go on every business card, every flyer, every print ad, and every page of the 2013 calendar. Not to mention Our website, Our blog, Our Tumblr, Our Facebook Header, will all feature "Sponsored by" links throughout 2012 and 2013. A year and a half of targeted convention crowd advertising. If you have an event in 2013, this is the deal you have been waiting on.